Since my life is somewhat simplistic, it’s high time to have a guest blogger for a few days. My contacts are fairly limited and since he has been harassing me from the moment I arrived, let me introduce my Daddy, @FredCamposJr. *the crowd goes wild with thunderous applause*
Love,
Daniel Theodore Campos aka Baby C
PS. The comments listed below do not necessarily reflect my opinions or the opinions of the BabyC Corporation or it’s stockholders or members.
Thanks Daniel, it is an honor and a privilege to guest host your blog!
Having completed the first week of my son Daniel’s life, it is the perfect time to reflect on a few nuggets of wisdom I wish I had known seven days ago before I experienced the hospital gig. Now most birthing mothers do a very good job of packing a hospital bag and doing some pre-planning for their hospital stay. I want to address 10 tips that a new FATHER should be thinking about before that inevitable water breaking dash-to-the-hospital experience. So here we go…
10. Don’t Slob Out, You’re on Candid Camera!
I had just fallen asleep at 12:30a last Saturday when Karen announced, “We’re having a baby! Right now! My water just broke.†I barely put on my jeans and a random t-shirt before I loaded my wife and her bag into the minivan. Now let’s hit the “pause†button a second and do an instant replay. Had someone told me that I would be in the same clothes for the next 30 hours, meeting and greeting family that only shows up at weddings, funerals, and births, I would have made better apparel selections. Hundreds and hundreds of pictures were taken during that time frame. I almost showed up in my fuzzy house shoes and my flannel Mickey Mouse pajamas. (Both very real and a part of my rotating wardrobe.) So Daddy think before you randomly pick your outfit. Pictures and video last forever!
9. Pack a Man Bag, Your Safari May Go into Extra Innings.
My wife Karen’s hospital bag had been packed for weeks. Everything from sleepwear to that “special†newborn ensemble outfit was carefully selected and ready to go. Daniel arrived at 4:21a on Saturday and it was late Sunday evening before I stepped back into the house. I had not planned to be at the hospital that long and I had NOTHING—not a toothbrush, not a change of clothes with me. (I did have the laptop—but that’s another story.) Don’t make this mistake, Daddy pack yourself a bag too!
8. House Closings Having Nothing on Hospital Admittance Paperwork.
We pre-registered at the hospital weeks ago, filled out admittance forms online, and received in the mail written approval from the insurance company. We did all of that before we even entered the hospital building. Nevertheless, I spent 90 minutes filling out more forms and basically signed my life away 30 times over. My hospital required copies of mine & Mommy’s driver’s license, credit cards, insurance cards, social security numbers, doctor names, next of kin, emergency contacts, religion and food preferences, what you’ve eat in the last three hours and when was your last movement, etc. I had all that information with me, but it was still worse than my first house closing. Daddy, have your info in a folder ORGANIZED and bring your favorite pen or two!
7. You are the Executive Bouncer.
Everybody and their dog’s brother will want to show up, see the baby, and see Mommy. Prior to going through the birthing process, your wife probably wanted visitors in the hospital. A long dramatic labor, demanding feeding every 1-3 hours, countless interrupting nurses, and lack of sleep will make the best of moms not want to see anybody, perhaps not even you. Daddy, learn to say “no†to family and friends that will want to visit the hospital. Be Mommy’s selective gatekeeper so that she can get some rest (you’ll need it too).
6. You Are the Press Secretary.
Going right along with bouncing, your job is to keep Mommy from spending time and energy getting information out to the world. If there are complications, the last thing you want is the mother of your child repeating herself over and over and over. Daddy, you make the calls, you hold a press conference, you update the Facebooks, Twitters and blogs. (I highly recommend the blogging as primary method of communication—but hey I’m biased.) Relieve Mommy of the burden of talking to long winded Great Aunt Sue on your mother’s brother’s cousin’s side of the family.
Tune in <next time> and we’ll finish it up. – Fred Campos aka Daniel’s Dad
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
LOL.. well, Fred, I can’t remember how Z was born, but yes.. looking online for a bit would have told you all the above
I am surprised to hear about the visitors though.. at least at Tufts, where I delivered, we could have given the desk staff explicit directions NOT to have anyone in OR had names given for the people that could visit. We had no family in town so it made it easier, but I know that can be hard. I had a friend that wanted people there from minute one.. for me, we had one guest and that was fine. They say you get sleep, but not only are the nurses coming in, but every other department in the hospital wants to ask you questions. I don’t know why they say you get rest there. I also had Joe make all the calls. I had a list of people to contact after things were settled down.. one thing I learned is don’t call people when you are going to the hospital.. WAIT until the baby is born. I had Joe call a few close friends when we arrived at the hospital, but we didn’t get back to them until way later so they not only were pissed, but scared.. I had no idea that I would still be in L&D for two hours and would have no cell phone reception. Joe had to stick around which meant no back and forth leaving.. anyway, these are all good tips you have.. Joe had his bag packed a bit before me.. but he didn’t have half as much as I did 
Thanks Kat,
I think you and Joe are doing a great job too. Yea our hospital let us police the visitors ourselves except from 3-4p which was their “snuggle hour”.
Keep up the good work!
Good morning, It’s a rare find for a nice blog like this. I enjoyed it. Kudos to you. Have a nice day!
Extraordinary post full of useful tips! My site is fairly new and I am having a baffling time getting my readers to leave comments. They are coming to the website but I have the feeling that “nobody wants to be firstâ€.
I really enjoyed reading your blog. It was very well written and easy to undertand. Unlike additional blogs I have read. I also found it very interesting. Actually after reading, I had to go show the spouse and she ejoyed it as well!
I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to understand. Unlike additional blogs I have read. I also found it very interesting. In fact after reading, I had to go show the wife and she enjoyed it as well!